Based on the new Luc Besson film, Arthur and the Invisibles is
an enchanting tale about a boy who goes in search of his missing
grandfather and becomes magically transformed into a pixie-like
creature called a Minimoy. With an imaginative style that's part
The Dark Crystal and part Troll Doll, this is a delightful slice of
escapism and a cut above the average movie tie-in dross.

Players take on the juggling act of controlling three characters
at once - Arthur, Selenia and Betameche - switching between them at
the tap of a button. When a character isn't directly controlled by
the player, the computer ensures it still tags along and helps
fight off enemies or lends a hand until you want to do something
more specific.

As you explore the magical world of the Minimoys you soon
discover the need to combine each of the characters' skills in
order to solve puzzles. Arthur can climb along precarious ledges,
Selenia can cut foliage and Betameche has a projectile weapon that
can hit remote targets.

The characters automatically co-operate when needed, so if you
start pushing an object as Arthur and then switch control to
Selenia, Arthur will continue to carry out his task until he
encounters an obstacle.

The delicate and detailed visuals are stylish and effective,
although you'll find you need to swivel the camera view constantly
to see where you're going in the rambling organic environments.

Though there's plenty of action in the game, from acrobatic
combat to an exciting ride on the back of a mosquito, much of the
puzzle-solving becomes chore-like.

There's too much backtracking to locations you've already
cleared simply to step on a switch or collect an item, which slows
down the game to the point where you may lose interest.

Endgame: Good graphics and intelligent level
design help to make this a worthy enough companion to Arthur's
elaborate adventures on the big screen.